Skip to comments.
How Archaeologists Recreate Ancient Booze (interview with Patrick McGovern)
Slate ^
| Saturday, January 3, 2015
| Linda Geddes (in New Scientist)
Posted on 01/03/2015 1:57:54 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Phrygians were brewing with barley before it was cool.
Resurrecting ancient beers and wines is a subtle alchemy, but Patrick McGovern knows all the tricks. He directs the Biomolecular Archaeology Project for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and Health at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Many of his ancient brews are sold by Dogfish Head brewery in Delaware.
How did you start making ancient drinks?
One of the first we made was the Midas beverage, based on residues in bronze vessels recovered from the Midas tomb in Turkey, which dates from 700 B.C. These pointed to an unusual drink combining wine, barley beer, and mead. There were also food remains in the tomb that suggested a barbecued lamb or goat stew with lentils and spices. We tried to recreate the funerary feast as a way of bringing the past to life.
How do you go about recreating a drink?
People give me either samples of pottery or residues from ancient vessels possibly used for making, storing, or drinking a fermented beverage. I identify the markers of specific natural products: Tartaric acid is a fingerprint compound for grapes in the Middle East, for example, while calcium oxalate points to the presence of barley beer.
What did the Midas beverage taste like?
We knew the three basic components -- grapes, barley, and honey -- but we didnât know what the bittering agent was. It couldnât be hops, as they only became available in Europe around 700, so we looked at the eastern Mediterranean spices that would have been available: saffron, cardamom, bitter vetch, cumin.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: alcohol; ancientbeer; ancientwine; barley; godsgravesglyphs; kingmidas; midas; midasgrog; oenology; patrickmcgovern; phrygia; zymurgy
Photo by grekoff/Thinkstock
1
posted on
01/03/2015 1:57:54 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
- Nordic Grog Is Latest of Dogfish Head's Ancient Brews - Free Republic
- Beer Domesticated Man - Free Republic
- Abandoned Anchors From Punic Wars Found Near Sicily
- Lager Beer's Mystery Yeast - Free Republic
- Alcohol's Neolithic Origins: Brewing Up a Civilization - Free Republic
- 9,000-year-old brew hitting the shelves this summer - Free Republic
- Grog of the Greeks [ barley beer, honey mead, retsina wine ]
- Ancient Christian "Holy Wine" Factory Found in Egypt - Free Republic
- gold, wine, plenty of luxury [Colchis, the Vani] - Free Republic
- Ancients Mashed Grapes Found In Greece (6,500 YA) - Free Republic
- King Tut Drank Red Wine, Researcher Says - Free Republic
- Hints of 9,000-year-old wine found in China - Free Republic
- China Was Drinking Wine 9,000 Years Ago - Free Republic
- King Midas' Modern Mourners - Free Republic
- First Wine? Archaeologist Traces Drink To Stone Age - Free Republic
- Chemistry Used to Unlock Secrets in Archeological Remains
- History of Drinking - Uncorking the Past - Free Republic
2
posted on
01/03/2015 1:58:12 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; ...
3
posted on
01/03/2015 1:58:30 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
To: SunkenCiv
Ah...that explains the “Phrygian Mode”.
4
posted on
01/03/2015 2:00:20 PM PST
by
left that other site
(You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
To: SunkenCiv
Booze the real reason for Archaeology!!!
5
posted on
01/03/2015 2:00:34 PM PST
by
DannyTN
To: SunkenCiv
He directs the Biomolecular Archaeology Project for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and Health at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Nothing I will ever do will match that resume entry (sob!)...
To: SunkenCiv
These pointed to an unusual drink combining wine, barley beer, and mead.
Or maybe he used the same vessel for all three, and didn't wash it out between the mead and the chasers. I doubt he had separate wine and beer glasses to complement his bronze vessel.
7
posted on
01/03/2015 2:08:32 PM PST
by
Dr. Sivana
(There is no salvation in politics)
To: Dr. Sivana
If you can get your hands on some Midas Touch, it’s a VERY interesting beer. It’s sweeter than I usually drink, but the earthiness left me intrigued.
8
posted on
01/03/2015 2:18:17 PM PST
by
rarestia
(It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
To: Billthedrill
9
posted on
01/03/2015 2:22:01 PM PST
by
Lurkina.n.Learnin
(It's a shame nobama truly doesn't care about any of this. Our country, our future, he doesn't care)
To: SunkenCiv; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; ...
Does not this young alchemist risk a classical-size hangover by mixing the grape and the grain? This is forbidden by the *Bible, according to my grandfather.
But then again, this sort of retro-alcoholic-archaeology could keep many Muslims (May Peace Be Upon Them) from studying the field. It will not, however, keep them from being very angry.
*...his own translation
10
posted on
01/03/2015 2:26:11 PM PST
by
Kenny Bunk
(The fate of the Republic rests in the hands of the '15 -16 Congress. God help us.)
To: Billthedrill; left that other site; DannyTN; Dr. Sivana; rarestia; Lurkina.n.Learnin; Kenny Bunk
He’s been at this a while, that list of older topics? It’s the Patrick McGovern keyword. :’)
11
posted on
01/03/2015 2:31:09 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
To: SunkenCiv
The Phrygian Mode, in music, has a minor second in it which instantly pegs it as exotic, wild, and romantic. It is used by Beethoven in “Turkish March” and is a foundation for hard Rock guitar solos.
A good stiff belt of Phrygian beer may have been its inspiration! LOL!
12
posted on
01/03/2015 2:58:53 PM PST
by
left that other site
(You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
To: SunkenCiv
I suspect that ancient farmers planted grains more for beer than for bread.
13
posted on
01/03/2015 3:02:35 PM PST
by
PapaBear3625
(You don't notice it's a police state until the police come for you.b>)
To: SunkenCiv
finally some PRACTICAL work product from these folks... ha!
14
posted on
01/03/2015 3:11:58 PM PST
by
faithhopecharity
((Brilliant, Profound Tag Line Goes Here, just as soon as I can think of one..)
To: Kenny Bunk
It will not, however, keep them from being very angry. A double-dose of Thorazine wouldn't take the edge off of Islamic Anger...
15
posted on
01/03/2015 3:20:32 PM PST
by
Smokin' Joe
(How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
To: DannyTN
Booze the real reason for Archaeology!!! Works for me.
16
posted on
01/03/2015 9:57:14 PM PST
by
Tainan
(Cogito, ergo conservatus sum -- "The Taliban is inside the building")
To: SunkenCiv
You, sir, are awesome.
Stay awesome!
PS: I have identified why I love that beer. It’s the absence of hops. An anti IPA, if you will.
17
posted on
10/26/2018 1:20:05 PM PDT
by
T-Bone Texan
(I posit that there IS something left worth fighting for.)
To: rarestia
I LOVE Midas Touch!
Finally, a super expensive beer with no hops that tastes like muscat.
18
posted on
10/26/2018 1:30:01 PM PDT
by
T-Bone Texan
(I posit that there IS something left worth fighting for.)
To: T-Bone Texan
19
posted on
10/26/2018 10:14:00 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(and btw -- https://www.gofundme.com/for-rotator-cuff-repair-surgery)
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson